(Reuters) – Meek Mill, a rapper who has develop into an advocate for reform of the U.S. prison justice system, is entitled to a brand new trial on medicine and weapon costs which have saved him on probation for a decade, a Pennsylvania appeals courtroom dominated on Wednesday.

FILE PHOTO: Rapper Meek Mill departs after legal professionals from each side made a quick assertion to the decide in a retrial listening to in courtroom in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. July 16, 2019. REUTERS/Bastiaan Slabbers

A 3-judge Pennsylvania Superior Courtroom panel agreed that Philadelphia Decide Genece Brinkley, who presided over a 2008 trial that resulted in his conviction, was now not neutral, as Meek Mill’s attorneys have argued. It ordered a alternative for Brinkley within the case.

The only witness in opposition to Meek Mill at his 2008 trial was a discredited Philadelphia narcotics squad officer who’s now not with town’s police power.

“Williams’ proper to be tried earlier than an neutral decide is critical on this case as a result of the trial decide heard extremely prejudicial testimony on the first trial, which was a bench trial, and made credibility determinations in favor of a now discredited witness and in opposition to Williams,” President Decide Jack A. Panella wrote in an 18-page opinion.

In November 2017 Brinkley sentenced the rapper to as much as 4 years in jail, saying a pair of arrests violated probation situations she set following his 2008 convictions. He served 5 months earlier than the state’s prime courtroom granted him bail. (reut.rs/2JQ47Nq)

The arrests, one for harmful driving whereas taking pictures a New York Metropolis music video, didn’t end in convictions.

After the sentence, Meek Mill, whose given identify is Robert Williams, grew to become a trigger celebre for musicians, celebrities and prison justice reform campaigners who mentioned his case was typical of a U.S. authorized system that treats minorities unjustly. The rapper is African-American.

“I’d prefer to thank the Pennsylvania Superior Courtroom for overturning my conviction and granting me a brand new trial,” Mill mentioned on Twitter. “The previous 11 years have been mentally and emotionally difficult, however I’m glad that justice prevailed and my clear report has been restored.”

The Philadelphia District Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned in a press release it welcomed the appeals courtroom determination and was reviewing its choices relating to a brand new trial.

A consultant for Decide Brinkley didn’t instantly return calls.

Mill’s music “Going Dangerous,” on which he collaborated with Drake, hit No. 6 on the U.S. charts this yr. His different hit songs embrace “All Eyes on You” and “Harmful.”